Cops And Traffic Laws: Who Polices The Police?

Police officers are often seen as being exempt from traffic laws, with many people believing they can speed, park illegally, and make unlawful turns without repercussions. While there are certain allowances made for police riders and drivers in the Road Traffic Act, these are not a carte blanche exemption and must be for a policing purpose. For example, police riders can go over the speed limit, but only if observing the speed limit would hinder their ability to respond to an incident.

Police officers can speed, but only in certain circumstances

Police officers are permitted to break certain traffic laws, including speeding, but only under specific circumstances. While on duty, officers are allowed to exceed the speed limit if it is directly related to their job, such as responding to an emergency or pursuing a suspect. However, this exemption does not grant them unlimited speed or reckless driving privileges. They are still expected to exercise caution and regard for the safety of other people and property.

In Massachusetts, for example, police officers are legally permitted to speed while responding to an emergency, performing a public duty, or transporting an injured person to a hospital. Similarly, police motorcycle riders in the UK are exempt from speed limits under the Road Traffic Act when it is necessary for a policing purpose. This exemption is not absolute, and officers must still adhere to safety protocols and training when exceeding the speed limit.

It is important to note that police officers are generally held to higher driving standards and undergo specialized training to handle their vehicles in emergency situations. Even with exemptions, they may be subject to disciplinary action or prosecution if their speeding results in a collision or endangers others. Additionally, individual police departments may have internal policies that further restrict speeding, even when exemptions apply.

While police officers may speed under certain circumstances, they are not exempt from all traffic laws. For example, they are still required to follow rules regarding parking, indicating, and yielding, unless it would hinder their ability to perform their duties. Overall, police officers are expected to use their best judgment and maintain a balance between responding to urgent situations and ensuring public safety on the roads.

Police officers can park illegally, but only in certain circumstances

Police officers are granted certain exemptions from traffic laws to enable them to carry out their policing duties. For example, in the UK, police riders are allowed to go over speed limits, use the wrong side of the road, and contravene traffic signals. However, these exemptions are not a "carte blanche" and must be used for a policing purpose.

It is important to note that police officers are held to a high standard of driving and are expected to use their exemptions from traffic laws responsibly and only when necessary for policing purposes.

Police officers can jump red lights, but only in certain circumstances

Police officers are permitted to jump red lights in certain circumstances. While they are allowed to contravene a red traffic light, they must do so with caution, ensuring that it is safe to proceed. For instance, if a police officer is responding to a burglary, assault, or theft in progress, they may choose to go through a red light to get to the scene faster. This is done with the intention of preventing further crimes, injuries, or saving lives.

However, police officers are still expected to exercise good judgment and maintain a high standard of driving. They cannot simply disregard traffic laws and must ensure that their actions do not endanger other road users. In the case of red lights, police riders and drivers are trained to treat them as give-way lines, proceeding with caution and only crossing when it is safe to do so. This often results in them crawling through junctions to ensure safety.

Additionally, police officers may choose to activate their emergency lights and sirens when jumping a red light to alert other road users and ensure a safe passage. While this is not a requirement, it can help prevent accidents and unexpected maneuvers by other drivers.

It is important to note that police officers are not exempt from the consequences of reckless driving. If a collision occurs, regardless of the circumstances, there will be questions to answer, and data recorders in police vehicles help provide an account of the standard of driving. Therefore, while police officers can jump red lights in certain situations, they must do so with careful consideration for the safety of everyone on the road.

Police officers can use the wrong side of the road, but only in certain circumstances

Police officers are exempt from certain traffic laws, but this is not a 'carte blanche' exemption. There are certain circumstances in which police officers are allowed to break traffic laws, such as when responding to an emergency or carrying out a policing duty. For example, when overtaking stationary traffic, police riders can go onto the wrong side of a 'keep-left bollard', remembering that the traffic islands that bollards are situated on often have drop-kerbs to allow pedestrians to cross. In this instance, the wide arc helps to spot any pedestrians who might assume that traffic approaching them won't be on the wrong side of the road.

Police officers can also jump red lights, but they don't have the right to do so without checking that it's clear first. They should treat red lights as a give-way line and proceed with caution. This is because the offence of contravening a red light is committed as soon as a driver crosses the line.

In the case of speeding, Section 87 of the Road Traffic Act provides the exemption for police officers. Again, it states that the exemption applies if observing the speed limit would hinder the use of the vehicle for the purpose for which it is being used on that occasion. There is no upper limit to the speed a police officer can drive when necessary, but it must be for a policing purpose.

Police officers are also exempt from laws regarding parking. If they are stopping somewhere for a policing reason, they are allowed to park in a 'no parking' or fire lane.

Police officers can be fined for breaking traffic laws, but only in certain circumstances

Police officers are granted certain exemptions from traffic laws that allow them to exceed speed limits, ignore traffic lights, and drive on the wrong side of the road. However, these exemptions are only applicable when the officer is using their vehicle for a policing purpose.

In the UK, police cars can be ticketed and fined for parking violations, and these fines are sometimes challenged if the officers were responding to an emergency. In the US, police officers are never permitted to break the law, but certain laws may not be applicable to them while performing their duties. For example, they may direct traffic the wrong way down a one-way street or exceed speed limits when responding to a call.

While police officers may speed or ignore traffic laws when responding to a call or for other policing purposes, they are still expected to exercise caution and not endanger other drivers. They are trained to use these exemptions as safely as possible and are required to slow down and treat red lights as give-way lines.

Police officers are also held accountable for any collisions or accidents that occur due to their driving, regardless of exemptions. Therefore, while police officers can be fined for breaking traffic laws, it depends on the specific circumstances and whether their actions were justified for policing purposes.

Frequently asked questions